Irene's Rains Set Record River Levels in 10 States

Below:

Next story in Science

Record-setting water levels in the swollen rivers in 10 states
along the East Coast are yet another testament to Hurricane
Irene's devastation.

More than 80 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauges measured
record peaks in the aftermath of Hurricane
Irene. Rivers in the Northeast set the bulk of the records,
as higher than average precipitation the past few weeks had
saturated the ground in many locations prior to Irene's
arrival. States such as Vermont and New York have seen
devastating flooding as a result of the rainwater glut.

While some rivers have already crested, or reached their highest
levels, other rivers are still expected to rise further.

Immediately after the worst of the storm had passed, USGS
hydrologists from North Carolina to Maine deployed to measure
high-water marks at rivers and streams and to verify high river
flows and peak stages. The crews also calibrated and repaired
stream gauges damaged by the storm to ensure they continued to
transmit information in real time to users working to protect
lives and property.

To date, records have been set on rivers and streams in
Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont.

The USGS, in cooperation with state and federal agencies,
operates a nationwide network of more than 7,000 stream gauges on
inland rivers and streams. Real-time information from these
stream gauges are available online.